King’s College School
Name: Inigo
Secondary school: King’s College Wimbledon, 5 years.
University destination: Oxford, Physics
- What is your best memory from your school?
Captaining 1st team tennis at various tournaments etc.
- What is one thing you would like to change about your school?
Headmaster (Andrew Halls) and his sterile vision for an exam factory school. Felt like the school wants you to conform to it rather than the other way around.
- Any fancy traditions?
No.
- How was the academic support?
Initially great but got worse as the new headmaster got rid of older teachers who inspired me with their sometimes unorthodox but engaging teaching. These were replaced by pencil pusher teachers who were focused on enforcing rules without discretion and only taught syllabus material.
- Is your school a religious school?
No
- What was your favourite co-curricular achievement while at your school?
Sport (tennis, basketball, waterpolo).
- How much emphasis is placed on Oxbridge as a university destination?
A lot.
- Do you keep in touch with the school, now you have left?
No. I have many friends from school but I have no interest in staying in touch with the school given the way it was changing in the last few years there.
- Did you ever have a detention at your school?
Yes, very many as I did not get along with some specific teachers who wished to enforce arbitrary rules that I (or my parents) did not agree with and did not follow. Eg. not going to church service as I’m not religious.
- What are the pastoral support options?
Not Sure.
- Bonus: If your school were represented as a song, what song would it be and why?
Bob Dylan – The Times They Are a Changin’
- Bonus: If you had to summarise your school in 3 words, what would they be?
Sterile, conformist, bureaucratic